


Satiate

by Dream_Wreaver



Series: The Hidden Volumes [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Heavy Elements, Nudity, Potentially triggering, Read at own discretion, sequels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:08:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13765773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Wreaver/pseuds/Dream_Wreaver
Summary: Why would someone surrender even knowing the fate that awaits them? Well, that would be another fascinating aspect of hunger; it took many forms.Sequel to Sacrifice, cannot be read as standalone





	Satiate

**Author's Note:**

> This... this took more than I would have liked, mentally and timewise, but it's done. And no, it doesn't follow the fairy tale format so forgive me. I was asked a few questions I thought might be interesting to explore in a story and this was the result.

The thing about hunger was it could make a monster out of a man. Similarly when hunger was sated a monster could be tamed into civility. Human beings were a perfect example of that. Bordering always between civility and animality. So what would one make of a world in which the wolves did not always done tails and ears, but were still recognizable if one knew what to look for? What might one make of a situation in which someone knows the wolf prowls and yet surrenders themselves to the beast’s appetite?

A fool? Likely the first word to come to mind. Why would someone surrender even knowing the fate that awaits them? Well, that would be another fascinating aspect of hunger; it took many forms. In a cottage resting deep in the middle of a wood that willing victim had satiated the hunger of a ravenous wolf and now lay contentedly in his arms. The forest shifted to and fro, alive in a way that few could truly comprehend it being. Limbs stretched along an inky black pelt, flexing and curling as wakefulness crept in. The female was covered in bite marks and hickeys, marks of claim by her new lover. He remained unmarked, not that was a sign of anything, wolves simply had sturdier hides no matter what form they took. His fingers ran the length of her spine as she shifted again, a way of getting out the kinks that came from sleeping on the hard cottage floor.

“Take me to my son,” he told her as she blinked up at him blearily.

“How would I know where he is?” she asked in return.

“I can smell him on you,” he replied, “You know where he is, don’t try and lie to me.”

“What do you want with him?”

“What else could I want?” Gabriel asked her, “I want to take him back, teach him the ways of his people, watch as he makes something out of himself.”

“You want to rebuild your pack,” Nathalie inferred.

“You say that as though it’s something unnatural.”

“At this point it may well be,”

“What do you mean?”

“It isn’t exactly something I can say, more something that has to be seen.”

He was silent, and for a moment Nathalie thought he might press it further. But rather he simply breathed in and exhaled slowly. She felt the movement of his free arm as it swept over the pelt. And his quiet suddenly became contemplative. He wanted to ask something, she could tell. But he continued to say nothing. She waited. Nothing, though he continued to contemplatively finger the pelt they laid on.

“You want to know where it came from, don’t you?” Nathalie asked him.

“The question has crossed my mind, yes,” Gabriel agreed, “You know as well as I do that humans -who will already do so for less- have killed over these pelts.”

“It’s not mine,” Nathalie answered, “At least, not originally, it is now. But it came with the cottage.”

“It was your grandmother’s then?”

“She was a friend of the forest.”

“You mentioned so last night,” Gabriel recalled, “Care to elaborate?”

“It does have to do with how she got this pelt, so I guess I can,” Nathalie curled into his side even deeper, remembering the words which her grandmother had told her as her younger self fell asleep to the howling outside, “Grandmother was never like the other village maidens. She hated the pretense, the expectations. It didn’t help that as the only living child of her family she had duties which would have normally gone to the son. Nana’s escape was the woods, she loved to play along the edge, civility and savagery, that was her whole world. Her dream, to one day build a house in the middle of the wilderness and live surrounded by it until she died.

“Well, in the midst of working towards that dream she met a handsome youth, black hair, piercing blue eyes, the whole package, as Nana would say. He caught her bathing in the river, I’m sure you can imagine how charmed she was by  _ that _ . Regardless, they took a liking to each other, and would often meet in the woods whenever Nana could get away. She spoke at length about all sorts of things with him. One day she told him about her dream of building a cottage in the forest and how she planned to spend her life there. And so the story goes that that young man, really a wolf, built her that house for the two of them. And as proof of his devotion, gifted her one of his winter pelts. And in return, she bore unto him a son. My father; and from my father, me. My family, despite my father’s protests, has loved the forest and those who call it home, and we yield to the forest’s power, because we know we shall be rewarded for it.”

“Is that true?” Gabriel asked after a moment, too speechless to say anything else.

Nathalie shrugged, “Who knows? Anyone who holds the truth is long gone. For all I know he could have attacked and ravaged her in a fit of hunger,” she shot him a coy glance, “But Nana never seemed bitter about it. She loved life, she loved her life. And she died the way she wanted to, surrounded by her beloved forest. Still,” Nathalie paused contemplatively, “Nana was never strong enough to build a house, nor hunt down a fully grown wolf for any reason. It’s a good story all the same though.”

“It has its merits,” Gabriel allowed, deciding he’d had enough of laying down and deciding to sit up and stretch, “Certainly it’s not as fantastical a tale as some might believe.”

“What do you mean?” Nathalie asked as she -dragged along by his motions but not wanting to move elsewhere- sat up as well.

“Humans and wolves have mingled for eons. Unfortunately, you can only be born one or the other.”

“And what does that depend on?”

“The mother. I do believe you when you say your grandfather was a wolf, it certainly explains your fascination and reverence to the forest. That’s a primal connection all wolves have, the only issue is that the one who bears the child is the one who determines what it is. Your grandmother was born human, ergo your father was human even though his father was a wolf. The interbreeding between out kinds is nothing new, though in our case it does cause some issues.”

“How so?”

‘It can cause coat discoloration, if a human with noticeable coloring breeds with a wolf, the offspring can be born with said unusual coloring. Which causes issue if they’re born a wolf.”

“Are you referring to your son?” Nathalie asked, “I was under the impression he was a wolf.”

“He is,” Gabriel affirmed, “Woe betide him for it. I almost  _ wish _ he was born human, it would be less burden on him that way.”

“I always wondered how a wolf could be born with golden hair and green eyes.”

“He gets his looks from…” he paused a second, as if pondering the right word to say, “He more resembles his mother rather than me, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“I have.” Adrien’s looks, wolf or not, had always made him a hot commodity around girls his age in the village. Marinette and the Bourgeois and Rossi girls were always fighting over ways to win his affection, even though to anyone looking from the outside in it was obvious the wolf in question only had eyes for the bakers’ daughter.

“His mother was a wolf, but she had a human father with golden hair and green eyes. She inherited that, and because of it, she was not nearly as trained as a wolf should be.”

“Is that why she ran while you held off your pursuers?”

“Precisely. She, Adele didn’t know how to fight, and Adrien was still so young. Besides, what kind of wolf would I have been if I couldn’t protect my pack? Well,” he laughed self-deprecatingly, “I suppose that question already has an answer doesn’t it?”

“We know who it was that…” Nathalie trailed off, not wanting to put words to the horrid sight that that racist had made of this poor wolf’s mate, “He was one of ours. Note the word was, he’s been dealt with, and Adrien is safe. But you had no control over that, not if you were busy trying to fight off several other dangers and buy your family time to escape.”

“You’re too kind,”

“No, I’m not,” Nathalie parried, “I do not do kind. Polite? Most definitely, but kindness I find fruitless. i'm merely stating an observable fact.”

“Regardless,” Gabriel stretched, “I appreciate it. How long do you intend to stay here?”

“I spend a couple of days here, give or take, but it balances out since I am so rarely able to come here.”

“How so? Given that you are more than old enough to live on your own, I imagine that with your history you would want to live here permanently.”

“I can’t say the thought doesn’t appeal, that would be a lie, however I have responsibilities and even I am not too enamored by the forest to see how inconvenient this place can be in times of emergency. It pays to have a dwelling closer than a half day’s walk to the village.” Nathalie raised a brow, “Why are you asking?”

Gabriel shrugged, “Just wanted to know how long we would be here, that’s all.”

“And what makes you think you’ll be staying with me?”

“You’re going to dispose of me now?” he raised a combative brow at her, “After you’ve had your way with me and everything?”

“If I recall correctly  _ you _ were the one doing all the work,” Nathalie smirked, “All I had to do was yield.”

“Clearly your grandmother never told you what the meaning of yield was in regards to wolves.” the response gave Gabriel pause, he himself had not recalled the meaning until just now. And he looked over, seeing the bites and bruises littering her too pale skin. Bites, bruises. Oh no. His mind raced whirring over and over the possibilities. He didn’t see a deep wound, the one that truly marked claimature, but that did not mean it wasn’t there. He drew the blanket from her, looking her over entirely. There was no puncture to her skin, nothing more than deep grooves made by human teeth. Human, he’d been human when he bit her. The relief that washed over him was nothing short of tempestuous. She had taunted the wolf, and the wolf was the last memory he’d had before being dazed by his own desires, he’d nearly committed to something neither of them were ready for. Something he was certain she wouldn’t have understood, something he had made a vow to only do once.

Nathalie gathered the top most blanket around her and looked at him as if wondering the cause of his sudden silence. She looked so naive, so trusting, and yet so uncertain. The image of Adele, his beloved wife, his one and only mate flashed before his eyes. The horror at his near actions, the guilt. It was all too much. He couldn’t say anything, she’d been the one who tempted him. But they had both nearly paid a great price for her audacity.

She found the courage to speak, “Is something wrong?” she asked. She sounded concerned, she sounded pitying, and neither his heart nor his ego could take it.

Without a word Gabriel sank back on his haunches and let the transformation wash over him. Nathalie tilted her head at the silver beast now silently standing near her in the room. She reached out and went to brush the side of his face, but he turned away from her. There was the sting of rejection brought about without cause. But then he looked at her and though he was now a beast, his eyes looked far more human than she had seen them at all previous. Yield to the forest, never try to claim it. Without another word she rose and with the blanket gathered around her she opened the door, standing to the side. 

There was but a brief moment in which they shared a look. There was no message passed either between them or on one side. They both knew some line had been crossed and that there were no words that could be said. Gabriel did what he did best, and he ran.

MLB

Three days in the woods. Three days of solitude with nothing but one’s own thoughts for company. One’s own thoughts and the sounds of the forest. It was hard to feel alone in the woods, not when it was home to so many. Hard to feel alone, but never so difficult to feel lonely. The burbling of the nearby brook was hard to miss, and it was harder still to find a place where you could drink in peace.

Now, did this describe Gabriel or Nathalie?

The former was consumed by his thoughts. Ones of guilt, betrayal. Wolves with human morals were far too often monogamous. Their packs consisted of two parents and x number of cubs. Adele, despite being a wolf and therefore theoretically capable of birthing a full litter, had only ever been able to birth one child, Adrien. They’d been trying for another when everything had gone wrong. And now, even years later he clung to the ever fading memory of his beloved mate. How could she just be  _ gone _ ? For quite some time he had wondered. What if she had gotten sick of him? What if she had gotten away and not wanted to be found? Fear had kept him immobilized, mired in his own pool of murky self-doubt. Until it had gotten to the point where he simply  _ had _ to go looking for her. To confront her once and for all if nothing else. He’d followed her scent as far as he could. He’d come upon the outskirts of a village. Even years later it lingered, her blood metallic and heavy in the air. But from there it was as if she’d vanished. Adrien, his son, his scent was still around. But he couldn’t approach just like that. He was a newcomer, an outsider. No one in a village this small would trust him if he were to waltz in and start giving orders. So though it rankled him he’d had to try a subtler approach. And if it didn’t work out, well, at least he’d get a free meal out of it. Oh how wrong he’d been.

And of course the one he’d come across had simply  _ had _ to be the most delectable thing he’d seen in ages with her blood red cloak and icy disdain. Her rapier wit and ability to speak in circles as well as any trickster of the forest. Someone so brazen as to envulnerate themselves while a predator lurked outside. He'd marked her, all over. The only other one he'd done anything like that to had been Adele. He’d gone even further than Adele, but he’d known she could handle it. Known she knew the ramifications of her submission to him. Nathalie did not. She had the forest’s blood in her, longed for it with a ferocity that could only be found in a wolf, but she was still so very much human. He’d nearly lost himself completely in her and they’d both nearly paid the price for it. One might suppose that he would justify it to himself. He'd been starved for so long… and she'd been there and so  _ willing _ , how could he not?

But had he gone through with it, had his teeth sunk into her in a fit of passion, the outcome… Wolves had married humans before, had had children with humans before. It wasn’t uncommon. But wolves didn’t claim humans and for very good reasons. It was a taboo, one he’d nearly broken. Sacrifice or no, willing or not to yield to him Gabriel had little doubt she would know anything about that. He’d inferred from their conversation her grandfather hadn’t been around. But besides that, Gabriel had vowed to only take one mate. A wolf, who knew and understood. Nathalie had neither knowledge nor understanding. And he couldn’t imagine explaining it to her.

Nathalie found ways to keep herself busy. Namely telling herself that nothing had changed from the day before. That her plan to retreat to this haven in the woods had never been interrupted by hungry wolf. The first day had been the hardest, namely because her sacrifice had left a lingering ache in her muscles which made movement of any sort difficult. She’d bore it impassively for the sake of her pride, when he’d been scared off and she couldn’t say anything to keep him. The other two passed in relative monotony. She stayed inside and entertained herself in other ways. The morning of the third day, the day she was supposed to do nothing more than wake up, don her cloak and head out, she paused. Instead she donned her cloak and left her clothes behind and went to bathe in the river.

Gabriel had woken from a slumber under a tree near the brook. He stretched forward and back, not even bothering -as he hadn’t for the past few days- to shift out of his wolf form. The beast kept the thoughts at bay, because as a wolf he was strong and in control. When he was human… he was weak. Humans were always weak. They had no claws, they couldn’t protect themselves. And yet their resourcefulness allowed their resilience. Gabriel knew if he was injured to the point of losing a limb, as a wolf he’d bleed out and die. But as a human? Well, it wouldn’t be ideal but he could still survive.

For now though, he wanted to remain a wolf. And to that end he rose and headed for the water, tongue resting like sandpaper in his mouth. His paws stumbled across something that most definitely did not belong in the forest. Silky red material pooled like blood by the river’s edge. It almost looked like- but no, it couldn’t be. Gabriel shook his head and padded on. He had just bent his head to lap at the waters when he noticed movement. Something was moving under the surface, disrupting the calm tranquility of the water from beneath.  From his spot on the shore Gabriel watched, hackles on the alert though not yet fully raised. She broke the surface and he realized there was no danger to be had. Nathalie splashed about a few moments more and then rose. Gabriel immediately hid in the brush nearby. He couldn’t bear to face her, but he couldn’t stay completely away either. So he decided to watch.

Because the water was only  _ barely _ deep enough to swim in she stood tall and proud in the early morning light. Water glistened as it dripped and traveled in rivulets down her body. She slowly, slowly waded to the bank, black hair like a void it was so drenched, the red streak just like the bloody cloak on the ground. She ran her hands through it, squeezing and wringing the moisture out. That done she tossed her head from side to side as if ridding it of any lingering moisture. She bent over and picked up the cloak, snapping it open with a flick of her wrist and spreading it out over the ground. Slowly, wonderfully,  _ achingly _ slowly she sunk down onto it. She looked so at peace, at home. The forest was where this nymph belonged. 

His ears twitched as he heard a branch break underfoot. But to the human ear it would sound like nothing more than the wind rustling. If it could be heard at all. It wasn't far off, but it was far enough to be rendered muted to a human. And if that noise happened to be that of a predator…

Part of Gabriel, the part that felt guilty, said to leave her alone. Whatever came for her came. The other part of him, the part that had feasted on her, told him to stay put for the time being. If it was benign he could leave, but he should stay long enough to find out. From his vantage point he could see Nathalie lying on her cloak with her hands behind her head, propping it up slightly off the ground. The wind sighed, stirring tiny pieces of her locks as they spread out over the grass above her. The other presence drew nearer. Nathalie looked blankly at the sky, lost in thought. Closer, closer, Gabriel felt his hackles rise, every hair on his body standing on end. Danger, he sensed danger. Or maybe it was just competition? The smell of wolf hit his nose, and he felt a snarl build in his throat. He hunched down on his paws, tension coiling his body up like a tightly wound spring. From out of the brush a large brown wolf appeared. It took in the sight of Nathalie and a strangled growl rose from Gabriel as he saw the weakling lick his chops. Nathalie was still too engrossed in her own world to notice. He hoped she would wake up in time.

The brown wolf began to hunker down, readying a pounce. And that was when Nathalie blinked out of her stupor. She sat up and saw the wolf. And for a moment time seemed to stand still. Gabriel wondered at how similar this situation seemed. She was bare, vulnerable, he was watching from a distance. A wolf was upon her, and he recalled how she had always been taught to yield to the forest. Would she yield here? He didn’t need to wait for his answer, immediately she floundered for the cover of her cloak. The wolf hunched back. And Gabriel moved without thinking. He got between them, fur raised and teeth bared. The brown wolf looked surprised. But decided to size Gabriel up anyways. Gabriel lunged again, going for this pathetic excuse for an interloper’s jugular. Claim mark or no, Nathalie was  _ his _ . No one would touch what was  _ his _ .

They clashed, over and over. Fur was ripped, flesh was torn, blood spattered the dusty banks. When the battle ended there was a furry carcas tossed into the water to float downstream. The victor licked his bloodstained teeth, trying to clean. He was bleeding as well. Eyes clouded with animalistic adrenaline stared at his prize. Nathalie, covered in the blood red cloak, looking simultaneously relieved and terrified. From the split in the fabric one hand emerged, reaching towards him almost hesitantly. Softly he placed his chin in her hand. A gentle tug and he was pulled toward her. She buried her face against one of his flanks, and it occurred to him how very human she was. She might have been drawn to the forest, might have preferred staying there over a village. But she had no way of defending herself. Her gentle heaving was felt against him as she began to cry, from fear, from relief, he didn’t know. The urge to curl around her, protect her, grew and grew until before he knew it his paws were hands and his fur was clothing. Nathalie felt so small in his arms, not helped by how much tighter she curled up as he slipped one arm under her legs and scooped her up without much difficulty. The cloak gaped as Nathalie wrapped her arms around his neck. He brought her home.

MLB

The cottage was quiet, even for the two of them. She clung to the folds of her covering while he started a fire in the fireplace. The pelt had remained on the ground this whole time. And Nathalie sat atop it, taking comfort in the familiar texture of the fur. The fingers of the hand not holding the cloak together brushed against the grain, drawing mindless patterns. Gabriel put the flint and striker away as the blaze kindled and winced as he shifted his shoulder. The wannabe alpha had managed to sink his teeth in deep before being dispatched. The wound struck deep pain, but he’d put up with it for the sake of getting Nathalie back somewhere safe. A rustling from behind him told him of her movement. A short while later he felt a hand near his neck. He turned and she was there, a small spool of linen to help dress the wound. The pitcher was still full from when she’d gotten water earlier that morning, before her bath in the river. It was warm, but it was clean, she soaked a cloth and wrung it out. Then she looked up at him.

Because his fur shifted to clothing when he changed forms there were deep puncture marks in a circular pattern at the site of injury. It would heal if he spent time as a wolf, but she intended to care for the human. He slipped out of the jacket and top. Dried blood was crusted over on his skin, it had stained the cloth and when he’d still been a wolf it had crusted the fur. She dabbed at it gently, mindful of how tender the muscles under the skin would be. When it was clean she gently squeezed one of the punctures, looking to see if blood would still ooze out of it. When it did she took the spool of linens and began to wrap, binding the wounds so they would catch on the white strips. They would need to be changed every so often, and checked to see if they were getting infected. But with a secure knot near the joint between arm and torso it was done.

They were silent again, Gabriel reached for his clothing, unsure how he should remain. He  _ had _ been the one to run away, and stay. But he’d also been the one to come and rescue her from a near violent attack. With a sigh he went to redress himself when delicate hands impeded his process. He halted, eyes meeting Nathalie’s. Her mouth had dropped open, but she looked surprised, as though even she hadn’t anticipated the action she had taken. His little nymph was quite a bundle of contradictions. She claimed she didn’t do kindness, but then she would dress and bind his wounds. Was it merely reciprocation? Was it passion from their first encounter that had been left to smoulder? Was it gratitude for his rescue of her?

He had no time left to wonder though, as her other hand reached for the clasp of her blood red mantle and undid it. As it had once before it dropped to the ground and pooled around her. Only this time he was no longer on the outside looking in. she had bared herself to him once more, and he was no longer the starving wolf. He could resist if he wanted, no longer overpowered by his own hunger. But would he, that was the question.

“Nana never told me what it means to yield to a wolf,” she said quietly, “But after you left I… I did some thinking about it. Why Nana might have told me to yield, when the forest brought me someone like you… Yielding means a lot to wolves, doesn’t it?”

“It’s, it’s…” how could he put it into words? The bonding meant by the yielding of the female to the male. The acceptance of him as her mate, the commitment to stay at his side, to give when he needed to take. How could you put so many primal instincts and emotions and mores into the pathetic structure that was human language? How could you tell a human that had lost all connection with the forest what it meant when it encapsulated the forest completely? He sighed and raised his hands, trying and failing several times to speak before managing to get out a trite, “It’s…  _ everything _ .”

One word, one word was all it took. Instantly she withdrew her hand, “It’s more than that, isn’t it? You did something you didn’t mean to, didn’t you?”

He couldn’t lie to her, not when they were talking about something that would have affected them both, “I nearly did.”

“What?”

“I… I lost myself when you granted me entry, I approached you as a wolf, I nearly…” he paused, unable to put words to the importance of this, “I bit you, didn’t I?”

She blinked, “Not as a wolf, no. You changed back almost immediately. Do you, not remember?”

“I was in a haze, you were- I was-”

“You were what?”

“ _ Starved _ ,” the word came out broken and desperate. “And I thought for a moment… that I had claimed you.”

She was silent. How could she not be? The one thing humans knew was that when wolves mated, they mated for life. Gabriel had had a wife, a wolf wife. She had been his mate, and he looked terrified at the thought of doing the same to her. And yet, despite the relief at avoiding something so lasting, so deep, so permanent with a man she barely knew… All Nathalie could feel was fury at being left without any explanation.

“So instead of telling me, so we could make sure, you turned tail and ran,” she bit out harshly.

“You’re human,” Gabriel replied, “It would have been impossible to explain-”

“So leaving me on my own, without any sign of intention on ever coming back? That was the better solution?” she blazed in fury at him.

“I never said I wouldn’t come back,”

“Be honest, you wouldn’t have. If I hadn’t ever allowed you in, what would you have done?”

“Waited,” Gabriel replied, “You fascinated me, challenged me,”

“I was prey and you know it,” Nathalie shot at him, “And you feasted, just not in the way I’m sure you thought you would.”

He couldn’t say anything to that. Because she was right. So he simply told her, “I hungered.”

“And I was willing,” the words were bitter as they fell from her lips. She couldn’t meet his eyes and her body flushed with shame. She drew the cloak up around herself and murmured, “Out.”

Despite his incredible hearing, Gabriel wasn’t quite sure he could believe his ears, “Pardon?”

“Get out,” Nathalie ordered, “I want you out of here, now!”

There was a hostility in the air that he hadn’t felt. But he could respect her wishes for now. He donned his clothing and went out the door. But as he passed through the threshold he felt a heavy yet evanescent thing wash over him. Like a membrane. Once outside he turned and saw the telltale ripple of magic. Nathalie no longer wanted him there, the house’s wards would no longer allow him entry.

MLB

This whole thing should have taught him a lesson. Never stray from the path. His goal had been so simple, to retrieve his son. But one red and raven-haired nymph had knocked him clean off that path and turned him in so many circles he had no idea of where to go from here. He ended up staying by the house. He had nowhere else to go, and running hadn’t done him any good anyways. He heard the silent sobs as they wracked her body from inside the walls. It was just as well she didn’t want him around, he didn’t know how to comfort anyone anyways.

The next morning the door opened, rousing Gabriel from his tumultuous slumber. His ears perked at the squeak of the hinges groaning under the weight of the heavy wood. Her cloak had been abandoned, it was just her in her traveling clothes. Odd, if she intended to go back to the village he was certain she would have started earlier than now. The sun was high in the sky and she had mentioned more than once it was half a day’s walk. She wouldn’t get there before sundown. She was still mad at him, to be sure, but perhaps she’d be a bit more kind to the form that could obviously kill her if it so chose. He rose and stretched and padded over to her. She glared at him but said nothing. Though, the way she stalked off into the trees told him he was being ignored and dismissed.

Still, not one to be deterred he followed after her. From her perspective he was in the wrong. That was fine, he could understand that. It wouldn’t have been the first time for him by any means. Adele had always been easy to anger, but quick to forgive. But she loved him, Nathalie did not. Most likely, they’d only known each other a few days after all. It had taken him months in order to successfully woo Adele, but she’d been a romantic. Nathalie’s romance was rooted in the forest, she loved it. But just because he was a wolf didn’t necessarily give him the edge. And just because he was a creature of the forest, just because she had yielded to him, it did not mean she loved him. She’d been instructed, she was following her grandmother’s path. Nothing more, nothing less.

He had to wonder why she would choose such a thing. Wolf blood in her veins or no, she had been raised among people. But then, could he really claim to understand her anymore than she would have expected to understand him?

He followed her to a glen, where she flitted from bush to bush, checking for fruit and picking what she liked. He sniffed about, choosing not to partake of anything himself. Luck had been on his side and allowed him to catch a tasty rabbit out looking for food late last night. When Nathalie completed the circle of bushes she stopped short. He nearly ran into her with how abrupt it was. Backing up Gabriel watched as she turned to face him. It was the first time she’d acknowledged his presence since she left the cottage.

“Unless you plan on making an  _ actual _ meal out of me,” she slung at him, “Go away. I can handle myself and I  _ don’t _ want to be around you right now.”

His immediate response was to open his mouth and ask why. A whine not unlike a dog escaped him. And yet, she seemed to know what he was saying.

“Because I’m still upset with you.” she answered, “You could have told me, could have said something, anything… but for three days… and it took me nearly getting attacked by some other wolf for you to show your face.” she shook her head, “I did my part, I yielded, and you- No, I’m not going to drag this out. Tomorrow morning I am leaving for home. Don’t follow me, and don’t you dare try to take Adrien away with you. You are  _ not _ what he needs right now, and if I find you do try to come back from these woods I will personally warn him to run.”

As much as he didn’t want to deal with the situation Gabriel realized the only shot he would have in this fight would be if he were actually able to articulate his argument. The shift that followed had her already storming off back to the cottage.

“Nathalie wait,” he called.

“No,” echoed through the trees as she picked up her pace.

“Nathalie,” he got that she was upset but this was getting ridiculous.

She reached the dwelling and practically dove for the door. It swung open and let her inside, and with the wards she didn’t bother to close it. They both knew he wouldn’t be allowed entry so long as it was what she wanted. He stopped in the threshold, pushing against the membrane of the magic, feeling it near stifling him. Drowning and yet able to breathe all at the same time.

“Nathalie what is it that has got you so upset with me?”

She whirled on him, “You  _ used _ me.” she hissed.

“You knew that from the beginning,” Gabriel parried. He was right, she had known he had ulterior motives from the start, part of what had made it so fun to toy with him in the first place.

“Not only did you use me, which I would have been fine with, you used me, nearly made a mistake that affected  _ both _ of us, but saw fit to turn tail and run without ever  _ warning  _ me of the dangers. What if another wolf had come? What if I had yielded and they had claimed me? What if I was chained to someone I cared nothing about because you were too wrapped up in your own sense of self to give a damn? What then Gabriel, care to tell me?”

“I-” he couldn’t argue. There was no argument to be had. Like it or not, the biggest worry of his near mishap was that it would have affected both of them. And had he not involved himself with her any longer after that she could have been in a position far worse, “I’m sorry.”

The words were choked. The sentiment rusty from misuse. Gabriel rarely apologized since Adele was so easy to forgive him. But he couldn’t get away with that sort of attitude this time. She was owed it. But she didn’t seem to believe him. A fine brow raised and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“ _ Are _ you?” she asked.

She truly was intending to drag this out, wasn’t she?

“I am, I’m sorry. I got… claiming is such a big deal to wolves and to think that I-”

“Were you afraid because you nearly claimed a human, or were you afraid because you nearly claimed me?” she interjected.

“Both? Neither? It has nothing to do with that!” Gabriel ran his hands through his hair, “I vowed I would only ever take Adele for my mate. And to lose myself, to nearly do that to you, it wouldn’t have been fair. To either of us.”

Her eyes were hard, as though she wasn’t quite ready to believe him. For a long moment she stared at him sizing him up. Her arms were crossed over her torso, pushing up her chest in a distracting manner. Gabriel shook his head. Now was  _ not _ the time to be thinking of that. He noticed her raised brow, and the small quirk of her lips, as though she was trying to hide a smile. But just as quickly as he’d seen it it was gone. He could have almost convinced himself he imagined it her expression was so schooled. But she had definitely noticed, as she shrugged her shoulders, causing movement which drew his eyes back where they weren’t supposed to be.

With an almost resigned sigh, the thinnest bit of mirth laced through it, she said, “Won’t you come in?”

MLB

He had some measure of her forgiveness, though she hadn’t said as much. Gabriel couldn’t imagine she would have let him back in the house if that wasn’t the case. Still, the atmosphere around them was… awkward to say the least. She moved around, setting things up for the night. Her berries that she had gathered were tossed together. From over her shoulder she looked at him.

“I suppose that though you know how to hunt, you wouldn’t know the first thing about cleaning or skinning would you?”

He should have expected. She  _ had  _ said she would only stay for a few days. They had certainly passed that at this point. And she had only brought enough food for herself. If he wanted to eat he would have to pull his weight for it.

“You won’t change your mind about my presence here if I leave to go catch some meat for the fire, will you?”

Nathalie raised a sardonic brow at him, “Are you planning on not returning?”

“Not unless i’m shot and killed.”

“In that case I suppose you’ll be excused. You have until sundown before I revoke your invitation into my home. Better get going,”

He returned a few hours with bloodied rabbits in his teeth. Nathalie cast her deadpan expression towards the quickly waning sunlight and looked back at the silver wolf.

“Cutting it a bit close, aren’t we?”

Gabriel let out a warning growl, severely hindered by the fact that he had rabbits in his teeth and that they both knew he wouldn’t hurt her. With a good-natured eyeroll Nathalie stepped aside and allowed him in. he dropped the rabbits on the floor as he changed back. When he was human he scooped them up in his hands and deposited them near her basket of berries, taking a few for himself to take the taste of blood off his tongue.

“You-” Nathalie cut herself off as she took in his appearance, “Seriously? The blood stays?” she shook her head and reached for a linen. Soaking it in some water she handed it to him, “Clean yourself up.”

Another bit of time later they found themselves stuffed full of the meat that had been roasted over the fire. The rabbits had been just filling enough to make them lethargic and sleepy. A fire blazed to ward off the evening chill, just as it had done that fateful night only a short while ago. And yet it felt like an eternity had passed.

Covering a yawn with a hand Nathalie stretched her limbs and shook her neck from side to side, tiny pops of sound escaping from under her skin. She rose from the pelt that had been spread out over the floor and went for her cloak.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting ready for bed,” she replied, beginning to unlace the stays of her dress.

“And you’re taking off your dress-”

“So it doesn’t crease,” Nathalie cut in before he could finish his question, “I have a chemise underneath it.”

“Oh,” was it her, or had she detected a note of disappointment to his voice? Men were so predictable.

“Disappointed?” she asked as she slid her arms out from the sleeves.

“Me? Not at all, nothing of the sort.”

“Just as well,” Nathalie paused to take down her hair, “Since you already ate more than enough the last time. Or do you have a differing opinion?”

He remained silent. And though she knew it was probably a bad idea, she just couldn’t resist, “You know what? It’s actually a bit stifling in here,”

“I’ll open the windows then,”

“Oh no,” she assured him, “I think I just have a bit too many layers on. Easily fixed.” she let the dress and all its layers fall to the ground and then knelt to pick them up, folding them for the journey tomorrow.

“Put your clothes back on,” the order came out as a hungry growl, “I’ll douse the fire,”

“Oh no,” she turned, covered only by her long hair, “It’s perfectly fine now.”

“You are the worst sort of person,” his voice was tight, as though to give an image of control. But it belied the truth, and that was that his voice was tight because he was trying not to show how deeply she was affecting him. Despite how angry she’d been with him just hours before Nathalie couldn’t help but smile. His reactions never failed to amuse.

‘Well then, what a pair that makes us,” she remarked as she sat back down beside him, “A tease, and a manipulator. At least one of us knows when to give up.”

“Pardon?”

“You know what I mean,” her tone came out flippant, but the way she fixed her attention to the dancing flames spoke of how sore that point still was, “You found me, but when I wouldn’t do what you wished your ego wouldn’t allow you to quit. Or were you determined to get a meal out of me?”

“No,” he put a hand under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze, “I went down that road looking for some way to charm myself into that village, true. If I didn’t get what I wanted I did plan to eat someone, yes. But then the person I came across was you.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You’re right. I don’t know when to quit. When you made it clear you weren’t going back I could have bided my time, gone off on my own. But I didn’t, and the reason wasn’t because of some ego or sleight to it.”

Her eyes still glimmered with some measure of hurt, but she braced herself forward on the pelt, leaning into his touch, “So why didn’t you?”

“I told you before,” he replied, “I hungered, for  _ you _ .”

Her mouth dropped open at his candor, but her eyes lidded heavily. Her breathing was slow and rhythmic. The glaze in her eyes was alluring, made the icy pools melt into limpid spring waters. Slowly he leaned forward, intending to take what she was willing to give. But a hand at his chest, small and searing, halted him.

“Wait,” she whispered, their mouths so close together that the mere movement of her lips rubbed them against his own, “Are you sure?”

She knew she was yielding, what she was asking was if he wanted to take. Knowing that there were risks to staying with a wolf. Knowing that there could never be a bond as deep between them as there had been between him and Adele. Knowing that they didn’t really know each other as well as society might have recommended.

The first time between them had been voracious, the hunger that had been suppressed for  _ years _ finally unleashed and allowed to feed. He’d had the chance to claim madness from it before, when he’d been asked why he’d taken. He’d told her that he’d wanted her then. But to admit it was one thing, to act on it again, with the hunger not so pressing, with the full knowledge of what could happen if either of them lost themselves, it spoke volumes more.

The hand under her chin moved, caressing the skin as it travelled down the line of her body, leaving gooseflesh in its path. His eyes bored into hers even as she shivered under his touch. His answer.

“Yes,” he murmured into her mouth. A feminine sigh of submission was her response. His hands began once more to wander, pulling her closer. The one who yielded beneath him.

MLB

“So what happens if you turn into a wolf with your clothes off?” Nathalie asked. She lay against his chest, toying with the fingers of one of his hands. Her hair spilled out over them, and what it did not cover her cloak did.

“It turns into a pelt,” Gabriel replied, “What would you expect it to do?”

“Disappear in a puff of smoke?” Nathalie deadpanned, not even looking up to see his reaction.

“And what? I would be a hairless wolf if I changed back without it on? Please,” Gabriel scoffed, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s an innocent question,” Nathalie defended.

“What do they teach you people about wolves?” Gabriel shook his head as he gazed down at her.

“Not much,” Nathalie replied, “Wolves in that village are either something to be feared or loathed. Either way they’re avoided at all costs.”

“The same village home to the seven warriors which pushed wolf-kind back into the forest?” Gabriel raised a brow.

“We tolerate wolves, so long as they don’t make it obvious they’re wolves,” Nathalie informed him, “My… Nana’s relationship was out of the bounds of the village for a reason. Intermingling between humans and wolves is a taboo. We learn nothing about wolves because we are not supposed to want them. Knowing about them could fascinate a more adventurous mind.”

“A mind like yours?”

“The forest is in my blood,” Nathalie parried, “I could no more deny it then deny my own name.”

“Your father apparently had no trouble,”

“My father spends all his time in the village working outside. He might have hated being surrounded by the forest, but he cannot stand being trapped in the house all day either.”

“Winters must be difficult for him.”

“They are,”

“Do you truly enjoy living in that village?” Gabriel asked her as he stared up at the ceiling. The one room house wasn’t bad by any means but he could easily see how a young boy with wolf’s blood in his veins but no way to protect himself from the forest’s dangers might find it stifling, “When the forest calls so deeply to you?”

“The village is as much a part of me as the forest is,” Nathalie admitted, “And even if it weren’t, the convenience provided by those who live in it cannot be ignored. Wolves may be solitary creatures, people are not.”

“Even wolves need their packs,” Gabriel replied.

Nathalie was quiet a moment as she mulled over his words. Finally she nodded, “Yes, even wolves need their packs.”

MLB

She took him to the tiny graveyard on the outskirts of the village. After Adele had been found they'd taken her and cleaned her up. The small mercy was that the bullet had gone through her chest and not her head. And that they’d stopped hunter before he decided to take a trophy from his game. She'd been prepared and given her rites and buried with full respect and dignity owed her. A simple headstone had been engraved with nothing more than her name and the date of her death. It had been all they knew.

For the sake of respect, both to her and the many generations of people who had been buried before she had a small, quiet corner of the yard, otherwise untilled. Nathalie on her trips to visit her grandmother who had likewise been secluded (hr family had never truly forgiven her decision to abandon them for the wilderness) had always been drawn to the woman’s grave. Namely because there was no one else to care for it.

Nathalie was silent as she stood by the grave. There had been many conversations she'd imagined having with the woman. But now Nathalie wished more than ever she could talk with her. Wished there was some way to assuage the guilt coursing through this man’s veins. But there was no salvation she could offer. Nothing remained but empty years and heart-wrenching memories. And a man who had to face them.

Gabriel saw the grave. And like a tidal wave it hit him. For the longest time, no matter how much it angered him, a part of him almost hoped that she  _ had _ left him. At least the possibility that she was still alive remained, even if he thought her dead. But now, confronted with the cold hard evidence that his wife, his  _ mate _ was gone forever. Gabriel had never allowed himself to mourn, and now he was threatening to drown in it. He sank to his knees and prostrated himself before her. His fists curled and a lone single tear spattered the ground. Dry, sputtered, painful heaves wracked his frame as the truth loomed, casting foreboding a shadow over him. His mortal goddess, the only remnants of her existence this stone, and their son. His son. Suddenly Gabriel wanted his cub with a furious abandon.

“Where is he?” he said harshly, rising from the ground like a phoenix from its own ashes.

Nathalie licked her hands together, looked at the ground, shook her head, and sighed, “You can’t take him now.”

“Watch me,” Gabriel declared. He shifted into a wolf and sought his cub’s scent, riding high on the wind along with the scent of smoke and fire. He bounded off in its direction, following the trail through the village. Acutely he heard hurried footsteps chasing behind him. Nathalie clearly didn’t want to let this go.

The trail ended at a bakery. Where Gabriel saw his son, the spitting image of Adele sitting happily by a blue-haired girl’s side as she sewed. Nathalie, panting, caught up to him and hunched over to catch her breath. And now he got it. This had been what she’d meant when what felt like oh so long ago she’d she wouldn’t be able to explain. Saying that he had been taken in by another family wouldn’t have deterred him in the slightest. And with her begrudging assistance he’d been on track to waltzing in and taking back his cub without thinking it all the way through. Gabriel turned his gaze to her and she tilted her head back at him. She understood his feelings, and scratched him between the ears. It was a sign of empathy, of sympathy. She knew how much it must have hurt him. And yet, it didn’t. He wanted his cub back, yes, but what good would it do his cub? Gabriel lowered his head, his tail fell between his legs. He wanted Adrien back, wanted to keep the last memory of his Adele alive. Her fingers worked at the fur, petting him gently as he mourned his loss. Nathalie stood by him and said nothing.

“Marinette! Adrien!” until now. She called to the children who perked up when they saw her. Instantly they dropped whatever it had been they’d been doing and approached her. Gabriel’s senses were on alert, but the hand on his head instantly grabbed the scruff at his neck, preventing him from doing anything other than staying by her side.

“Nathalie!” they greeted, out of breath but excited. She nodded to them.

“How has the cloak been?” Marinette asked.

“Worth every piece I paid for it,” Nathalie assured her, “Gotten any more commissions yet?”

Her shoulders drooped a little, “Sadly no,” Marinette shook her head, “There just aren’t enough people here to need a full time seamstress. I want to go into the city someday, but there’s maman and papa’s bakery to think about,”

“You’ll be just fine, I know they support you no matter what,” Nathalie replied, “And you Adrien? Figure out what you want to do?”

The blond shook his head, “Not yet I-” he stopped short as he took in the appearance of the large beast beside Nathalie, “Who’s this?”

“He’s-” Nathalie paused, unsure of how to phrase this. Yes, Gabriel’s intention had been to come and retrieve his son, but she had been able to tell from his body language that he had seen what she had been trying to explain, that Adrien had a family and one that was good for him. But Adrien seemed startled, as though a long forgotten memory had suddenly popped up, was it better to lie to him? “He’s,” she tried again, “He’s mine,” she finally settled on. The only thing that wasn’t a lie while not giving everything away either.

“Oh?” it was a mix between curiosity and disappointment, as if that hadn’t been the answer Adrien had been expecting, “It’s just- I mean, he looks like… For a moment I thought…” Adrien shook his head, “Nevermind, it doesn’t matter.”

Instantly Nathalie’s hold on Gabriel disappeared. He looked to her, her eyes flicked from his to his son and back again. A silent cue. If only he would act. Gabriel padded forward a bit and pawed at Adrien’s leg. Adrien knelt down and stayed perfectly still, hand raised and poised to pet as soon as the canine signaled it was okay. Through his nose Gabriel took in the scent of the son he’d not seen for many years, he still carried the scent of his mother, even though it was but a single note now compared to the symphony it had once been. But amongst the scents of flour and vanilla and yeast, it still remained. Gabriel drew back and stared at Adrien. The boy looked surprised by the intensity in the wolf’s eyes. But it seemed to spark a recognition.

“I,” Adrien hardly dared to breathe, a memory from his young, young years flashing through his mind. He’d seen this wolf before, he’d known this wolf. This wolf which had nurtured and protected him, the wolf that had sent him away with… with mother, the wolf that had distracted the hunters so he and his mother could get away. Yes, Adrien knew this wolf.

“Father?” he whispered, afraid that if he said it any louder the silver creature would disappear as it had so many nights when the boy had dreamed it come to him.

Gabriel’s heart leapt within his chest. The boy knew him, recognized him. And the guilt at leaving him for so long gnawed at his gut. But he was proud. He could have changed back, explained everything, told Adrien that he wanted to be a family again. Instead he leaned his head up and delivered a single lick against the boy’s cheek. The apology he could never utter.

When he drew back he saw Adrien raise his hand up to the spot where the stripe had been placed. The hope in his eyes was palpable. But that in itself was not an answer.

“Yes,” Nathalie affirmed, “It is.”

And instantly he was tackled. Adrien wrapped his arms tight about his neck, squeezing so tightly it was hard to breathe. But this pain was one he would willingly endure. Because it meant this was no dream. That Adrien was still alive, that they were here, together. Reunited at last. Hot tears landed against his fur, his boy was crying.

“Why Father?” Adrien asked as he pulled back, “Why did you leave? Why did you not come sooner?”

Gabriel cast his gaze to the ground, unsure of how to answer. He certainly wasn’t going to turn back into a human now.

“Adrien,” Nathalie interjected, saving him from the difficulty of dealing with it for now, “What matters is that he’s here  _ now _ . And he wants, if it’s alright with you, to be a family again.”

“Why can’t he say it himself?” Marinette cut in, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the wolf.

“Do you think he feels good about his actions Marinette?” Nathalie asked in response, “As human as they might seem sometimes, they are wolves, and their way is different from yours.”

“You mean ours, don’t you?”

“Ah,” Nathalie coughed, “Yes, yes, that’s what I meant.”

“What is Father doing with you Nathalie?”

Nathalie and the wolf shared a look. Then she smirked and said, “We met on the way to Grandmother’s house.”

MLB

“He wants me to go and live with him?” Adrien asked. It was now sometime later, and the four of them were sitting in the grass in the afternoon sun. it was fading to twilight and a decision would soon have to be made, “I mean, I guess I understand but… the Dupain-Chengs, they’ve been so nice to me and-”

“Adrien,” Nathalie cut in, “Your father has said that he would like you to live with him yes. Like it or not you are a  _ wolf _ . And you need to be trained in the ways of what you are. Your father wants to do that, be there for you. But, he also understands that not everything can just be swept under the rug. It’ll be hard, but if staying with the Dupain-Chengs is what makes you happy he’s ready to accept that.”

“He told you all that?”

“Not in so many words,” Nathalie admitted, “But what do you want Adrien? Do you want to stay? Or do you want to come with us?”

“With.. with  _ us _ ?” Adrien repeated.

Nathalie and Gabriel shared another look. Gabriel merely put his head down. She had been the one to explain it, and now she needed to deal with the questions.

Nathalie cleared her throat, “Yes well, I- um… Your father and I… we really hit it off the other day and-”

“The  _ other day _ ?” Marinette interrupted, “You mean he’s been around for longer than a day and he’s waited until  _ now _ to come and find Adrien?”

“To be fair,” Nathalie reminded, “He  _ is _ a wolf, and an outsider. Would anyone have told him if he asked?”

“I-” Marinette raised a finger to object, “Fair point.”

“As I was saying,” Nathalie continued, “Your father and I found we… really enjoy each other’s company. He’s going to be staying at my cottage with me while you make your decision.”

“And if I say no?” Adrien pressed.

“Then that will be that.”

“And if I say yes?”

The older pair shared another look. Finally Nathalie turned to him and said, “Then you’re welcome to the pack.”

**Author's Note:**

> Did you like it? Should I never do anything like this again? Leave a comment and let me know. Until next time everyone


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